FREE SPANISH CAVA TASTING HERE ON FRIDAY JANUARY 31, NOON-2 P.M. Come on down next Friday to Paris-Madrid Grocery, meet Sommelier Joseph Almirall, Export Manager of Bodegas Mont Marçal, taste and chat with him about their delicious Spanish sparkling wines. Working Friday? Considering that sparkling wines are just 11.5% alcohol, you can sample the bubbly and then go back to work.
Taramosalata is back in stock. This popular Greek-style spread is made from fish roe that has been salted and cured for over one year. Salty, fishy and creamy, it is excellent served with pita bread and olives, washed down with a delicious Assyrtiko white wine from Santorini, Greece. (Available here.) Martha Stewart recommends serving Taramosalata with crudites (raw vegetables cut into strips). Try this versatile and tasty spread.
CHEESE ARRIVALS:
Epoisses: Made of pasteurized cow milk, this famously pungent, stinky cheese from Burgundy is soft, with a luscious, palate-coating texture. The creamy center is earthy and rich, with a pleasant bite and a lingering finish. The rind is salty and aromatic due to multiple washes in brine and Marc de Bourgogne. Makes a stunning finale to a cheese course!
Artequeso Raw Milk Manchego, aged 12 months: The grand daddy of Manchegos is back in stock! Made with raw sheep’s milk and aged one year, we believe this is the best Manchego produced in Spain. From La Prudenciana Farm in La Mancha, for generations the Alvarez family has bred sheep and carefully aged their raw milk cheeses. This manchego has a dry, slightly powdery texture with intense nutty, parmesan-like complexity and a lingering finish.
Gros Gres de Vosges: Muenster fans, your prayers have been answered! This Alsatian pasteurized cow’s milk cheese sports an orange rind due to annatto, a nutty and sweet flavoring used in Cheddar, Mimolette and other cheeses. Gres de Vosges has the garlic, mushroom, barnyard washed-rind flavors you love with a little bit of crunch. Smear on walnut bread and pair it with a glass of Trimbach Pinot Gris, a fresh, rich and mineral-laden white wine which we also have in stock.
WINES YOU MUST TRY
Les Boursicottes Sancerre 2018 ($22.99) AOC Sancerre whites must be 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The soil types in this region transform the character of Sauvignon Blanc, lending a weight and sometimes smoky note to the wines. The vineyards of Les Boursicottes are located in Chavignol, in a warmer, southeastern facing ampitheater. The vines grow in a combination of Kimmidgeran limestone from an ancient seabed, clay and gravel soils which all contribute elements of complexity. Les Boursicottes offers up gorgeous aromas of stony white flowers. On the palate it is rich and weighty with melon and citrus notes. Very fresh, bright and crisp with a lengthy mineral component, this is a wine that draws you back for more. Excellent value for a delicious Sancerre!
Bastide Miraflors Rouge 2017, Côtes du Roussssillon ($12.99) A cuvée created from Grenache grown on rocky, alluvial clay soils combined with Syrah grown on schist in the village of Maury. After a long maceration of six weeks the wine ages for 12 months in concrete (Grenache) and 600L French oak demi-muids (Syrah). “A blend of 74% Syrah and 26% Grenache that was brought in a mix of tank and used barrels, the 2017 Bastide Miraflors has a fabulous minerality as well as terrific kirsch, black raspberry, wild fennel, white pepper, and hints of black licorice aromas and flavors. Pure, medium to full-bodied, silky, and seamless on the palate, it’s perfectly balanced, and way over-delivers.” 93 points Jeb Dunnuck
Bodegas Morca Godina Garnacha 2017 Campo de Borja ($19.99) Godina is produced from 80 year-old, 100% Garnacha vines grown in limestone soil. Aged 15 months in French oak, Godina offers finesse, power and elegance in the glass. The beautifully ripened fruit has notes of oak and spice. with velvety tannins. Medium bodied and bright, it has superb balance and length. 93 points Guia Penin This tasty wine is excellent with hearty stews.